Exclusive Policy

EXCLUSIVE: Details Revealed in Trump’s Lame-Duck Pentagon Budget Draft

Some of the numbers are “fabricated,” says one official. But they shed light on GOP lines of attack awaiting Biden.

Science & Tech

Combat Simulators Should Also Improve Acquisition, DOD Leader Says

The modeling and simulation tools that train troops and forces should also “revolutionize” design, acquisition, sustainment and test.

Ideas

We Need a Backup for GPS. Actually, We Need Several of Them

The key is incentivizing adoption of position-navigation-timing alternatives.

Science & Tech

Soldiers Don’t Trust Robot Battle Buddies. Can Virtual Training Fix That?

Allowing soldiers to train their robot wingmen in game environments could be the key to human-machine teaming.

Ideas

Mapping China’s Sprawling Efforts to Recruit Scientists

Beijing’s high-profile Thousand Talents Program is a tiny piece of a broad national strategy to build military and economic advantage.

Ideas

Are AI Professionals Actually Unwilling to Work for the Pentagon?

A CSET survey finds a more nuanced situation than public perception might indicate.

Defense Systems

4 steps to turn CMMC compliance into a competitive advantage

Gap assessments, remediation and ongoing compliance efforts can accelerate a company’s strategy to meet Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification requirements.

Ideas

Biden Has Many Good Choices at SecDef

I’m rooting for Flournoy, but she’s not the only one who would do well.

Ideas

How Biden and Kerry Could Rebuild America’s Global Climate Leadership

Kerry’s decades of experience and the international relationships he developed as a senator and secretary of state may give him a chance.

Ideas

Tapping Flournoy as SecDef Would Be a Really Big Deal

A natsec black belt and outstanding leader, the former policy undersecretary would also be uniquely positioned to implement some long-overdue personnel changes.

Policy

Dems See GOP Electioneering in Air Force Choice of Georgia for C-130 Base

A Trump appointee wants Air National Guard planes sent to the state that holds the key to Senate control.

Ideas

The Next Administration Should Bring the Shadow Wars into the Light

Lethal tactics and entire campaigns launched urgently after 9/11 have corroded oversight and American standing.

Ideas

Designating the Houthis as Terrorists Would be a Mistake

A proposed White House move would hinder peace talks and humanitarian efforts in Yemen.

Science & Tech

How Two US Military Bases Are Exploring 5G’s Potential

Defense Department-led pursuits of next-generation connectivity will hone in on survivability, security, and innovation.

Ideas

An AI Tool Can Tell a Conspiracy Theory from a True Conspiracy

It comes down to how easily the story falls apart.

Defense Systems

Pentagon tightens workplace restrictions as COVID cases spike

The increase of coronavirus cases in the Washington, D.C. region preceded the Pentagon’s decision to revert to stricter workplace protocols.